Rival Cities (Deep Print Games)

Fun, fast, lots of paths. This game scratches an itch that normally takes a big euro. But this is much quicker and has lots of interaction, as you are constantly paying attention to your opponent. Plus it is mindboggingly cheap, has good art and great packaging, which makes it very easy to table. And it has simple rules and clear iconography. What else do you want? Publishers please pay attention, stop your bloat and give us more of this please!! The game itself is a very solid 8.5, but the total package shoots this into my top ranking.

Game balance seems spot on. In three plays we have seen three different win con's, and the fourth (legal) was one turn behind, so I'm sure we'll see it pay off soon. Just fantastic!

A really amazing 2-player tug-of-war game that is never over even if you are behind. Tension-filled right from the start, and the order of the actions on the board give some variety to each game.

An outstanding two player game—deeply interactive, multiple paths to victory, variety in gameplay based on different rondel arrangements, lots of brinkmanship, while emphasizing resource conversion to gain advantage and put pressure on your opponent. Reasonably easy to teach and more plays provides deeper enjoyment and skill development.

Tense tug-o-war over 4 different resources. You have to pay close attention to what the other player is doing to anticipate if they might be able to complete one of the end game conditions within a couple of rounds to take action to stop it. Some people will hate that, but I love it.